After centuries of growing wild in the hills of Taiwan, the varietal for our Formosa Red grew ignored until the colonial Japanese administration identified it as a potential candidate for black tea production in the early 1900s. The cultivar was then planted around the hills of Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County, a region whose terrior -- its region, climate, and soil -- was thought to be most similar to the teas gardens of Assam in India.

Our Formosa Red was harvested in late April 2010 and is organically grown and produced. Each leaf is hand-picked in the morning before a two day period of wilting, rolling and enzymatic oxidation that produced the beautiful red orange liquor of this tea.

Formosa Red is remarkably non-astringent, even when forgotten and left to over steep.The brewed result is sweet, richly layered, and wonderfully floral.

It is not to be missed.

Water Temperature: 205°, or near boiling
Brewing Instructions: Use 2 teaspoons per 8oz. Rinse tea for 1 second. Discard rinse water. Steep for 2 minutes. May be infused multiple times.